Northern Fulmar vs Vanuatu petrel
Fulmarus glacialis compared with Pterodroma occulta
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Fulmar | Vanuatu petrel |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fulmarus glacialis | Pterodroma occulta |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
| Length | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) | — |
| Weight | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) | 325.0 g (11.46 oz) |
| Diet | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Northern Fulmar
A nasal, cackling 'kak-kak-kak-kak' or grunting 'uh-uh-uh' at the nest and colony. Less melodic than petrels. In flight gives occasional single nasal calls.
Vanuatu petrel
Geographic Range & Migration
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Vanuatu petrel
Conservation Status
Northern Fulmar
Vanuatu petrel
How to Tell Them Apart
Northern Fulmar
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
Vanuatu petrel
About These Birds
Northern Fulmar
The northern fulmar is a long-lived seabird that can survive over 40 years. It defends its nest by projectile-vomiting a foul-smelling stomach oil at intruders, which can mat the feathers of predators and cause fatal loss of waterproofing. Fulmars have expanded their breeding range dramatically southward over the past two centuries.
Vanuatu petrel
37–40 cm. Dark above with white forehead and underparts; black partial collar. Breeds Vanuatu; poorly known. Endangered or Critically Endangered with very few confirmed nests. Described as full species only in 1984; nocturnal at colonies; feeds on squid and fish in tropical Pacific.